February 24, 2013

During summer, I mainly survive on salads, fruit and other cold, light meals without even craving for anything heartier. This summer we finally bought a little barbecue for our balcony and have used it a couple of times to mix things up a bit. This marinated tofu and portobello salad is one of my favourites; it's hearty enough to suffice for a proper meal, but light enough for even a hot summer's day.

Barbecued Tofu and Portobello Salad

(serves 2-4)

350g extra-firm tofu

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon tamari

pepper, to taste

a few large portobello mushrooms, sliced

mixed salad leaves

cucumber, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved

avocado, diced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1-2 carrots, coarsely grated

extra-virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil, to serve

toasted sesame seeds, to serve

1. Cut the tofu to about 1-2 cm slices and put in a shallow bowl. Mix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over the tofu. Leave to marinade for about half an hour.

2. Prepare the rest of salad while the tofu is marinating. Barbecue (or pan-fry) the tofu first, then use the left-over marinade to brush over the mushroom slices before barbecuing. Mix tofu and mushrooms with the rest of the ingredients, drizzle with extra oil if necessary, extra pepper and scatter with toasted sesame seeds.